Warlords MC: Book 2 – King (Tremaine) : Chapter 7
King shook his head. “Last night…” he paused.
“I happened to stop a cycle going ninety on the 10,” Mags interjected.
Max crossed his arms over his chest. “And it just happened to be you?” He stared at King.
“It was just my bad luck.” He shrugged.
“It was your bad judgement you mean,” Mags stated.
He looked over at her. “OH? Well, my judgement saved your pretty ass, now didn’t it?’
Mags looked angry.
Good, he ate it up like it was candy. Her fire. Those eyes, the way she would raise her shoulders and those tits jutted right out. King paused. What the fuck am I doing? He looked over at Max.
His mouth hung open. “You and Mags?” he asked in almost a whisper.
“NO!” they both shouted at the same time.
He blinked at the shouts. “Well, you both doth protest too much it seems.”
King shook his head as he chuckled. “Doth? Come on Stokes. She pulled me over to give me a ticket.”
Max’s gaze swung over to her. “You didn’t!”
She raised her hands up in defense.” Hey I was gonna let him slide. You know him being…” she paused and looked King over. “Whatever he is.”
King let out with loud laugh. Sweet Jesus this woman. God dammit!
Max chuckled. “So then what happened?”
They both looked at each other.
“Well…” They again started at the same time.
King patted Max on the shoulder. “I saved her life.”
Mags huffed. “He likes his own skin and he saved mine by accident.”
King smirked. Yeah he would admit it, he saved her sweet ass, and all that lovely skin.
Max snapped his fingers in front of his face.
King blinked and stepped back. “What the fuck are you doing?”
Max looked between them. “You two may have not done the deed yet, but you will.”
They both stared at him.
King refused to go down this road, so he changed the subject, “Then I took her to meet the family.”
Max raised his brows and looked over at his partner. “So you met the deck huh?”
She nodded. “All but the Ace and his Queen.”
Max shot his gaze back over to King. “Queen? What fucking Queen?”
King smiled. “Nah, that was just a joke Magdalena made. I’m the only card that gets the queen.” He looked over at mags. He had to, he so wanted to see her cheeks flush.
And there it was, her cheeks went to a pretty pink.
“Ok, so Ace has a woman now?”
King nodded. “Charli and she is … a spitfire.” He stared at Mags. “He met his match there.” King was slowly realizing finally just what that meant.
“So what is the anvil?” Max interrupted his thoughts.
“Oh… that’s well…” Mags seamed to stumble over her explanation.
“We got intel that his lieutenants have names. Cannon Ball, Anvil, Axe and Hammer.”
“You forgot Tirade,” Mags added.
Again, King stared at her. “Yeah, now that doesn’t seem to fit. It’s odd. The other names are weapons or tool.”
Shrugging, she replied, “So? That was what his notes said.”
“Whose notes?” Max asked.
King looked at him then at her.
“No, I never told him.”
Max raised a blond brow. “Told me what?”
“My dad was chasing this same group.”
Max took a deep breath. “And you never told me that?”
Shaking her head, she admitted, “No. I mean it was an old case and—”
“So, then what happened last night between the two of you?” Max crossed his arms over his chest.
“Nothing!” again, the both of them answered.
“Ok. Ok!” Max looked disgusted. “You do know that you are both going to right?”
Silence in the room.
He shrugged. “Fine, be blind, dumb and deaf while wasting your time.” He stared at Mags then King. “But I say… go for it and see if that will put out the fire. Then if it does? Hey, you can both walk away.”
More silence.
King stared at Mags.
She stared at her partner and wouldn’t look at King. “That is fucking crazy. You know I don’t sleep around, Max!”
“Yeah, I do know. So when did you last sleep with anyone at all?” he shot back.
Mags looked angry. “That is personal. How dare you—!”
“Oh, I dare. I mean come on. I know it has been…”
She stepped close. “Just what do you know Officer Stokes?” She poked him in the chest.
“I know that you could use it,” he spoke softly.
Mags gasped and took a step back.
“Everyone knows it, Mags. You never date. Never had a guy in all the time I have known you.”
King now found this interesting though he agreed that it wasn’t any of Max’s business. But King felt it was his.
“So? That is also none of your business nor is it anyone else’s!” she shouted.
“Ok, ok.” King put his hands up. “Back to the mission—” he halted,
Max looked over at him. “So it really is a mission? Like backed up?”
“Hell yeah,” King muttered. “What did you think we were doing, playing soldier of fortune, or some shit?”
“So backed by who and what did Chapman do?” Mags asked.
King shook his head.
“Oh, yeah. I know. You can’t talk about it!” She again looked angry. “Well, we are cops in this town. THE town where Gantlet has run his drugs since before my dad was murdered, since she died in her prime!”
Both men stared at her.
“Since who died?” King asked.
“Vikki Soles,” Max muttered. “Her best friend. Died of an overdose six months ago.”
Mags glared at him, then gazed at King. “She was my sister. Her family took me in when my dad died. She was…” Mags seemed to get choked up. “Anyways, it was Blue Diamonds. That drug and the man who run it, is responsible!”
“So this was personal for your dad and personal for you,” King stated and he was about to say she should stay the hell out of it when Mags stopped him.
“So?” She stepped close. “It looks like it is personal to you too, so don’t give me that recuse shit!”
King blinked. Damn, she knows? She is a cop and a good one so she managed to read him about that sore spot. Their captains family was killed, then Alex. Shaking his head, he changed the subject as he turned to Max. “Suffice to say, your partner is a target.”
Max’s eyes widened. “What?”
Nodding, King went on, “And last night they used a semi to take her out.”
Max looked at her. “So that’s why we got a new unit?”
She bit at her lip and looked away. “Yeah.”
“But you said this morning that…” He tossed his hands up in the air. “Why the hell was I kept in the dark?” He glared at Mags. “I’m your partner…” Then he looked over at King. “And I am someone you know you can trust. Yet, it’s like the attraction you both feel and deny. You denied me!” Marching to the door, he opened it and slammed it behind him as he stormed out.
Mags turned and went to follow him.
King grabbed her up.
By instinct, she turned his arm over and had his wrist in a lock.
He sucked in a breath then spun her around till he had her by the throat and her back to his chest. “There is no move you can make that I cannot counter.” His voice fell low.
Mags seemed to still. “I thought you never hit women.”
He chuckled in her ear. “Did I hit you?”
“No,” she sounded disappointed.
He let her go, because if he didn’t, he was going to have her up against an interrogation wall right here where she worked. “I think you need to let Max cool off.”
“Oh?” She turned round to face him.
“Yeah. He is an easygoing guy but once you piss him off…”
“Yeah.” She nodded. “BOOM!”
They both laughed a little.
“So…” King thought he might venture where other men had probably feared to tread. “How about, we like… go out?”
Blinking at him, she crossed her arms over her ample blue material covered breasts. “Like a date?”
He scoffed. “Nah, like meet up at that bar you were at the other night.”
“Oh, so you did notice me,” she stated with an edge in her voice.
He stepped close. “Fuck yes. The way your jeans tightened over that sweet ass of yours every time you tossed a dart? I sure as hell did.”
Her eyes widened as she stared at him.
King smirked as he stepped back. “Say when Max cools down, maybe bring him tomorrow night at about 8?And bring your files.”
Her mouth popped open. “So it’s not like a social outing or a date. You just want that intel!”
He let out a sigh. “Both. You see since you held back and had it…You became the intel.”
“Oh well, I’m glad I’m sooo important.”
“Do you want to be important?” he asked quietly, testing the waters and knowing he would not get an answer he could use.
Her chest seemed to heave, as she suddenly looked trapped.
King smirked again. Well, partial answer. Her body gives it away. Now that I have noticed her completely I can see what she feels, besides her angry stints, those are more than obvious.
“Oh and don’t be looking so smug. Biker boy! I will bring the files and you can shove them where the sun don’t—”
Grabbing her up, he decided to shut her up in the only way that mattered, he pushed his tongue into her mouth and kissed her.
Again, after a pause, her body seemed to relax as she kissed him back.
He thought he might just kiss her for a long time instead of cutting it short like last night. He needed to get her to where she did want him enough to show it. Besides, the more he tasted her the longer he wanted it to last.
Mags suddenly pulled away and she was panting. “Me in uniform, kissing a biker in the interrogation room who is under arrest?” She straightened her uniform and let out a rush of air. “Years of getting respect would be out the door in a half second.”
King laughed and moved by her to leave as he whispered to her ear, “You like bad boys, tough girl. You just want one who can best you.”
Her gasping was loud this time as he chuckled and left the room.
Mags felt nervous. She threw yet another unsuitable blouse onto the bed. She didn’t even sleep much today. What with the wet dreams she’d been plagued with, there seemed to be less and less sleep. How could she be affected like this?
She gazed up and saw it hanging in the closet. No. She’d worn that sexy dress to one of the parties for a retirement party, a couple of months back. When she walked in while wearing it, men spilled their drinks and people ran into each other while staring at her. Dammit, if she wore it to the bar, everyone would react. Red satin, knee length, scooped back, form fitting around her waist and it showed her ass to perfection. It would get a reaction.
She stared at it. Reaction. Yes. To have him react to her instead of the other way around. She rolled her eyes. Do I dare? “OOOh!” She plopped down on the bed. Every guy in the place would be staring. Despite her rule of before. How could she expect them to follow that no leering rule, then go there dressed to the nines. She picked up one of her red silk blouses and black slacks. I just can’t. She donned the less formal clothes
An hour later, after adding a bit of lipstick, which she barely knew how to apply, she arrived at Fifty’s. Searching through the bar, she didn’t see Max or him. On the way over, she held a stern talking of sense to herself. He had already said, Bring the file. He was mostly interested in that. She figured she would hand it over but he’d better be ready to make a deal first. She needed to be in on it when they finally found these men.
She headed for the pool table.
McKinney smiled at her. He worked traffic downtown, older, married and harmless. Besides, he’d always been friendly and casual.
“Hey,” she called.
“Game?” he asked.
She felt too wound up, but maybe she needed to just act normal and play, then she might even calm the hell down. “Sure, rack em up.” She waited a minute for him to set the balls in and lifted her stick, aiming for the break.
Max’s laugh echoed through the bar.
Mags’ body tightened up and her cue slipped.
“Damn!” McKinney exclaimed, unused to her messing up.
“Yeah, an off night,” she muttered, refusing to look around. She would fight this all the—
“Hey,” he spoke from behind her.
Gasping, she froze. Just act casual, she willed to herself.
Mags turned around and her stomach clenched along with her thighs this time. Those magnetic eyes were on her, her skin flushed immediately. She caught a whiff of some light cologne. Steady, Mags…steady.
“Hey, Magdalena.”
Mags felt King’s deep voice rumble along her skin.
McKinney looked back and forth between them and his brows rose. “Umm, I’m gonna go— play uh—I’m going.” He left abruptly.
Mags nodded at him, “Okay, we can play later maybe…” He was already gone.
“So, I want to apologize,” King stated,
Now ,the shock set in King apologizing? She looked all around.
“What are you looking for?” he asked.
“The hidden camera. Cause this has to be a joke.”
He frowned at her.
“King apologizing? Ether you’re drunk already or it is a prank.”
He laughed. “No… neither. Dammit, you got a smart mouth.”
“See? More to apologize for before you even got on your knees.”
He raised his brows and kept grinning at her.
Yeah, she would bet he had never got on his knees for a single soul on the face of the earth. She avoided looking at the smile. It was dangerous. His frowns and anger were much more comforting. Hence her sparring with him. Keep him on edge and maybe her panties would make it through the next hour. “So apologize already, cause I gotta hear this.”
He smiled and it was one of those smiles the one that made her breath leave her lungs.
Oh, Man! This again. Charm… damn, I was hoping he had none. Her heart banged like a drum in her chest. I hope he doesn’t do it a lot tonight, or I’m toast.
“I shouldn’t have done that while—well, you were in uniform, at the station yesterday…” His eyes were twinkling at her again. Like he didn’t mean a damn word of it.
Her knees felt weak as kept up with the false causal act, then turned and handed her cue to another one of the patrons waiting for the table. “I guess I’m not in the mood for pool.” She then leisurely turned her head to look at King again.
King was already walking away toward the bar.
He just ups and leaves? Her feminine bitch sprang to life as she stomped over to a table and sat while knowing she was wearing an actual girl-like pout.
Max showed up at the bar and smacked King on the back. Then, they both laughed over something he said.
Here I sit, fuming and pouting. Like a wallflower. It’s pathetic! I’m gangly girl with the buck teeth all over again. She released a long slow breath, pushed Bitch away from her aura, got up from her chair, and started forward.
A blonde woman showed up and edged her way in between the two guys then put an arm around each broad shoulder.
Mags stopped dead in her tracks.
She kissed them each on the cheek. Then said something close to their faces.
Both men roared with laughter.
Mags sat back down. Yep, just the kind of woman she always refused to be. The kind she never wanted to be. Flirty, all gooey, batting her eyelashes with a sweet giggle here and there. Disgusted all over again, she glanced away in pure disgust. Someone caught her eye. Felix. Sergeant at the desk.
He came in once a week and never spent more than 2 hours hanging out. He smiled at her and raised a glass of beer as if to ask if she need one.
Mags nodded at him and he walked over to the bar, had the bartender pour her a draft, then headed her way.
She pushed a chair out for him with her boot.
He grinned at her, sat and handed her the beer.
“Thanks Felix.”
“No problem.”
She sipped at it.
“Miss Gio—”
“Felix,” she cut him short. “You can call me Mags.”
He actually blushed. “I—?” he started again, “Well, I couldn’t help but notice—I mean…”
She tilted her head at him.
“Well, you are noticeable, you see?”
Mags batted her eyes in puzzlement.
“Um Capta—King… the man with Max.”
She nodded, wondering where he was heading with this.
“Can I just say that for 2 years, I’ve well…wondered.”
Mags smiled at him as she got it now. “Why I don’t go for Max?”
He slowly nodded. “Now, I know it’s none of my—”
She reached out and put her hand on his dark fingers.
He looked startled.
“I often wonder myself about that. I mean he’s a dream guy, just look at him!”
Nodding his bald shiny head in agreement, he continued, “So, I figured it was the partner thing. And don’t get me wrong. That is bad for cops to do.”
Mags nodded again and sipped at her draft.
“But what it is really…he doesn’t light your fire, right?”
Her eyes rounded.
“I’m assuming all this ya know? I don’t mean to be lookin’ in on your life or nothin’.”
Mags let her shoulders slump. “The truth is…” she hesitated and couldn’t believe she was actually going to say it out loud, “No one ever had.” She looked down at the table then up at him. “Ever…And I was beginning to believe that no one ever would.”
“Until you met Captain Bridges?”
Her gaze flew up. “Captain?”
Felix looked a bit nervous. “I thought you knew. I mean I saw all that activity yesterday. I just assumed.”
Curiosity ate her up for a second as she asked in a hushed voice, “So you saw his actual ID? Not his DL?”
He nodded and lowered his voice, “Pentagon ID, Captain Tremaine Bridges. Clearance so high, it would give us cops a nosebleed.”
So maybe she could look him up, now that she had a name. But why should she? She knew already. But the fact that this case seemed so personal to him…She wanted to know everything about him.
Felix took another drink of his beer. “I mean if ever there was a guy who could…” he halted and peeked over at her.
“Could?” she asked.
Felix shook his head and chuckled. “Okay, well I do listen to occasional gossip.”
Mags smiled at him and shrugged her shoulders.
“It’s rumored that—well, you have stated that you wouldn’t even consider a guy who couldn’t beat you at certain activities?”
Mags burst out with a huge laugh.
The old Sergeant looked startled again.
“Outshoot, outrun and outmaneuver me.”
He nodded and joined in her laughter.
She leaned her head closer in to whisper to him again.
Felix lowered his head toward hers.
“I think he’s already accomplished two of those. I’ve seen him run and he countermoveed me yesterday. And I suppose since I learned more, he can outshoot me too.”
Felix grinned. “He’s special ops. I looked him up when he came in huge as blue blazes like he did and asking for you at that. I did manage to find that he is a sniper, sharpshooter. He could probably pick em off from a mile away.”
Mags took up her beer and chugged the rest. Yeah, she knew that part already. King could outrun her, then he out maneuvered her and seems like he could out shoot her too. If only—
Felix beamed at her. “Ok, here he comes.” He got up. “How you gonna know? If you don’t see for yourself if this one meets all the requirements?”
Batting her eyes, she didn’t know how to respond to that.
Felix smiled at her from ear to ear and left the table.
“Magdalena…”
Her skin tingled again at the name said in that deep voice. Hadn’t she asked him not to call her that? She looked up.
He sat a beer down for her and one for himself. Then he took a seat. “So are you done visiting?”
She blinked at him, then looked around to see the blonde still next to Max. “Are you?”
King glanced over at the woman. “That? Fluff and no substance. Max seems to like her though.” He swung his gaze back to her. “I figured you were busy playing pool and visiting with your cop friends so I waited.”
“Oh? So…” She reached down into her bag. “Here is the file. What you were waiting for.” She handed him a large envelope.” My dad didn’t use a PC much.”
He took it. “Okay.”
Mags stood up.” So, now you got what you wanted.” She stepped to the side and grabbed her bag. She needed to make a hasty exit. “I’ll…I’ll see you around.”